Field codes make it easy to update document information that's subject to change. For instance, if you insert a Date field in your document, the field results display the current date each time you update the field. Sometimes, however, you may want to prevent a field's results from being updated. For instance, you may reach a point where you no longer want the date displayed by your Date field to change.
One way to do so is to lock the field by selecting it and pressing [Ctrl][F11]. Locking a field preserves the field code but prevents the field results from being updated. You can then unlock the field by selecting it and pressing [Ctrl][Shift][F11]. However, what if you want to get rid of the field code without deleting the field's results? This little-known technique is known as unlinking a field. To unlink a field, select the field and then press [Ctrl][Shift][F9]. As an alternative, press [Ctrl]6. Word unlinks the field by removing the field code and displaying the field's results as static document text.